Investigation of infection routes of Helicobacter pylori in health checks of residents by random sampling.
We performed an epidemiological study to clarify the infection routes of Helicobacter pylori (HP) in residents of a certain district. We sampled 10% of adult residents comprising 7,389 males and females in a certain geographical area for our study by random sampling. Among them, the blood was drawn from 325 subjects who agreed to undergo health checks, and Helicobacter pylori antibody (anti-HPIgG) and an antibody against hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) were measured. In addition, we conducted a questionnaire survey on all of the 325 subjects and mainly investigated the relation between the life-style and the rate of anti-HPIgG carriers. In this geographical area, the positive rate for anti-HPIgG in the subjects in their twenties was 67% (10/15), and it increased with age. The positive rate for anti-HAV in the subjects in their twenties was 17% (2/12). When we investigated the positive rate for HP antibody in 114 subjects of 57 families. The positive rate in parents whose children (20-39 years old) were also positive for anti-HPIgG was significantly higher than that whose children were negative for anti-HPIgG (p < 0.03). There was no significant relation between other life-style factors surveyed and the positive rate for anti-HPIgG. The rate of positive anti-HPIgG carriers in this geographical area was higher in the subjects in their twenties comparing to average Japanese infection rate, suggesting that this area was highly infected by HP. Infection within the family was thought to be a factor of the higher rate of HP infection in younger generations.
Sakamoto
K
K
Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G